


Decisions, Decisions

by Crystal_Clarity5



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: AU, Adventure, Comfort, Danger, F/M, Goa'uld (Stargate), Hurt, It wouldn't be SG1 without one of those snake heads, Off World mission, Teal'c in trouble of some kind, There's some smut in this, Well - Freeform, not sorry, sorry - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:01:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27262390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crystal_Clarity5/pseuds/Crystal_Clarity5
Summary: Shania and Daniel have been friends for a long time. They looked after each other in the Orphanage.Even once Shania was adopted into the richest family in the world, she remained friends with Daniel, she even tried to beg her new family to take him in too, but they wanted a daughter.Even when Shania inherited every last bit of the fortune and became one of the richest bachelorettes in the world, along side her sister Lesley, she remained best friends with Daniel. When he dropped of the map after that fateful lecture, she was broken hearted.So when she received an email from him on her birthday she was over the moon. She couldn't wait to slap him and hug him and tell him everything that has gone on in her life so far, but the meeting failed. Shania was taken.Daniel and SG1 have to save her, find out who she is and why Teal's is so familiar to her.Are you ready for an adventure? Good, because I suck at summaries
Relationships: Daniel Jackson/OFC, Samantha "Sam" Carter/Jack O'Neill
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This has been an idea for months and I have yet to get it down in writing. I do have another series on the go so please bare with me. I will update as much as I can, but I will say that this may be slow posting. 
> 
> This has a lot to go into it, there is some violence and smut so I have rated this as Explicit to be on the safe side.

Shania was excited and nervous. Jason had just proposed to her and they were getting married. He wanted a quick wedding and she agreed, only on the condition that she had her best friend and her sister by her side. Jason agreed reluctantly. He never did get along with Daniel but she didn’t care. She loved them both with everything she had and she wanted them both in her life, if they couldn’t do that for her, then she would know that they didn’t love her at all.

Daniel was her longest friend. They grew up together in the orphanage and have been close ever since. Even when she was adopted by the richest family on the planet, she stayed close to Daniel. He was never jealous of her, and even though she tried, her family only wanted two daughters and that’s what they got, but they allowed Daniel to visit.

As they grew up, they attended college together and became experts in their field. Daniel became an expert linguist and archaeologist along side Shania, who had to outdo him at every turn, but the world was not ready for a female of power and everywhere they went, the male population had always spoke to Daniel like he was the leader of whatever excavation was going on. Their faces were priceless when he actually put them straight and told them that it was in fact, Shania, that was the lead, and he learned from her. It always made them laugh when they spoke about it on their nights together.

It was those excavations, and the ease in which Daniel felt around those men, and the male population in general, the Shania had always assumed he was gay, although her sister never believed that. They had that argument one too many times.

“How do you know he’s gay, Shania. Have you actually asked him?” Lesley would start as she poured another glass of wine.

“He’s never been with a woman for as long as I’ve known him Lez. He seems a lot more comfortable around men. Also, I saw him once in college. He was pretty close to Bill O'Brian in a hidden alcove just beside the Science block.” Shania would reply as she nursed her non-alcoholic beverage.

“Well, we could always get you drunk so you could actually tell him how you feel.”

“You know what happens if I even attempt one glass of anything alcoholic, it’s not worth the risk or embarrassment.” Shania became content to let herself ache for Daniel in a way she believed he couldn’t ever want her.

Then, she was getting married and she couldn’t wait to tell Daniel, ask him to be there, no matter how much he couldn’t trust Jason. She was nervous and excited and couldn’t wait to tell her best friend. But it went so wrong.

“Daniel, you have to be there.” She insisted as she cornered him just before his lecture.

“Shania, I would do anything for you, you know that.” He replied, taking her hands in his, “but he’s not good for you. He just wants your money.”

“How can you say that?” She pulled her hands back, “he’s never done anything to even hint at that. He doesn’t care about the money; he cares about me. I thought you did too.”

“I do,” Daniel rested his hands on her shoulders, “I have to go, but we’ll talk about this after the lecture. Ok?”

“Just … Don’t mention the pyramids. You’re already on rocky ground as it is.” Shania hugged him then and held him close. If she could have him as her closest friend then that’s what she’ll take.

“I can’t promise you anything Shen.” He placed a kiss to her head and then he was gone.

Shania had felt so cold and empty at that point and something in her gut was telling her to stop him. At all cost. But she didn’t.

Then he was gone. Daniel had dropped off the map after that lecture. Rumours had circled pretty quickly that he just vanished in embarrassment.

It was a few years later when Shania received any sort of indication that he was still alive. A lot had happened to her in that time, and she couldn’t wait to tell him all about it.

-0-

Shania returned home from her sister’s club alone but happier than she was when she awoke that morning. It was another good birthday for them both, rocking out on the karaoke and dancing all night, Shania’s energy was dwindling now and she longed for her bed.

Before turning in for the night, she turned on her computer and checked her emails, and there it was. An email address she hadn’t seen in so long and her heart hammered in her chest. She wanted to punch him, slap him, hug him and kiss him all at the same time.

_Shania,_

_I can’t begin to apologise for everything. I have missed you dearly my friend. I have so much to tell you and so much I want to tell you, but I cannot. It would be better to explain this to you in person. Can we meet?_

_Forever yours_

_Doctor Daniel Jackson._

She read that email a thousand times and did not sleep at all. She just sat there and stared at the computer screen until the words blurred into one. Finally, she plucked up the courage to reply;

_Dr Jackson,_

_Not dead I see. I am free at 10am tomorrow morning. Just meet me at the diner._

_An old friend,_

_Shania._

She sent the email and then curled up in bed. She had only ever called him Doctor Jackson when she was really mad at him, so maybe he would get the message as it was intended. She missed him, but she was so pissed off at him for leaving her behind and making her think that he was dead all this time.

But the words burned in her brain, he had things he wanted to tell her, but could not? What was all that about? Had he found something? Was that why he was away for so long? Was it just that he could not miss out on a lifetime opportunity and not because she was going to make the biggest mistake of her life?

Yet, he wouldn’t know, would he? How could he? Maybe this was the first time he had access to his emails … Which would mean that he had read all of hers that she had sent him in the past. The later ones getting more and more aggressive until she eventually stopped.

Eventually, the light came in through her curtains and she was pulling herself from her bed to get ready to meet him for the first time in a long time. She didn’t know what to wear. She didn’t know what she’d say. She didn’t even know if she could trust herself not to kill him when she did see him.

She settled on a simplistic top and trousers and left her home. She walked the way t o the diner, to give her time to think, to get her thoughts organised. Shania had hoped it would give time for her nerves to settle, but as she made her way to the diner, she didn’t have time for anything.

A van screeched to the stop on the sidewalk, the back door opened and all she felt was pain. Her muscles felt like they were on fire.

Then she was gone.

No-one saw anything, no-one heard anything. Shania was gone and Daniel was left alone in the diner, wondering if he had actually damaged their friendship beyond all repair when she didn’t turn up.

-0-

Shania woke with a groan, her muscles ached and her head hurt. she wondered if she had had a glass of wine last night, but she hadn’t. She knew she hadn’t, it wasn’t worth the risk. Plus, this felt like she had been shoved down a cliff and had been stuck on an electric fence for hours.

When she finally opened her eyes, all she could see was steel bars. Her body lay on a concreate floor and a camera was placed just above her head. “Great.” She groaned as she pulled herself up, stretching her arms to ease the ache in her muscles. It didn’t help.

Her wrist felt strange so she brought it to her eyesight and she stiffened for a moment. A mettle bracelet sat tightly around her skin, giving no room for movement. She swallowed hard and pulled herself into a standing position. Her body swayed at the change and she had to hold onto the bars that surrounded her just to keep standing.

“Hello?” she called out once the nausea had passed. She knew someone was watching her, there was a camera for Christ’s sake, but she also felt it in her gut. Someone was out there, in the shadows, watching her. “I know you’re there.” She called out again.

Shania heard the footsteps and she took a step back, she was terrified but she would not let them see it. A man, at least 6 feet tall stood at the bars, his eyes appeared dead, but his smirk was sickening. Shania gulped and took another step away from him. “What do you want?” she surprised herself at how calm her voice appeared to be.

“Where is Daniel Jackson?” He asked.

“Who?” Shania didn’t see it, but he held a small pod in his hand. She did, however, feel the pain that originated in her wrist. An electrical charge surged through her whole body, making her cry out and fall to the ground in agony.

The pin subsided and she took deep breaths to try and calm herself, her wrist stung and she could smell burnt flesh.

“Where is Daniel Jackson?”

“I … I don’t know who you’re talking about.” Shania replied and the pain hit her once again. It was excruciating and she screamed. “Alright!” She yelled out and gasped as the pain once again subsided. She caught her breath and pushed herself up. “He’s dead.”

The man laughed and the pain hit her once again. “It will only get worse if you do not answer our questions.”

“I don’t know where he is!” She screamed through the pain, her body rolled across the floor of her cage and the tears fell from her eyes.

“We shall see about that.” And the pain stopped, the man walked away from her and she cried on the floor.

What the Hell is going on!? What do they want!? Why Daniel!?

“DJ, what have you done?” She whimpered and allowed the darkness to take her away into the land of her nightmares.


	2. Chapter 2

The next time Shania woke up she was bound to a chair with her hand behind her. It was uncomfortable to say the least, but it did give her a chance to look around. Not that it did much good, there was nothing specific about the place where she was held, other than it appeared to be a large warehouse. The only thing notable was a desk before her with a computer and what appeared to be a lump of stone.

She wasn’t alone.

The man that had appeared at her cell was sat in front of the computer and a man was to his left and, as she turned her head left and right, she noticed to more flanking her at her sides. _Well, this is going to be fun_ , she thought.

“Finally, you are awake.” The big man at the computer spoke without looking up from whatever he was doing. Shania remained silent. “My boys here have some very effective ways of getting you to communicate, whether you want to or not. Now tell me Miss Langley; where is Doctor Jackson.”

Shania still remained silent, whatever was going on, she wasn’t going to tell them anything. She couldn’t anyway. For the last 3 years, she thought Daniel was dead. How would she know where he was now? She was beginning to think that the email wasn’t even from him and her heart shattered.

She didn’t have a moment to think even further when pain filled her very soul. The man on her right had touched her with a metal pole and her body was on fire. She screamed; she couldn’t help it. She had never felt anything like it before, even the pain that came from the thing on her wrist was nothing compared to the pole.

When it was over, she slumped in the chair and breathed heavily. Her body twitched and jerked as the pain slowly subsided. Still, she remained silent.

The torture began again. No one spoke, no one asked any questions. The only sound was Shania’s screams, echoing in the large space. She couldn’t take it anymore.

When it stopped and she felt like she could breath again she spoke, her voice harsh and raspy, “I don’t know where he is. For all I know he’s dead. I haven’t seen him in 3 bloody years.”

“I find that very hard to believe,” a female spoke, the heals clicked against the ground as she neared Shania and the men. A voice that she would never forget.

“Jenifer,” she hissed, moving to glare at the approaching woman. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

Jenifer just laughed and took the pole from the man beside her. She came to the front and knelt down so their faces were just inches apart, “I need Daniel Jackson and I know how close you two are. I find it hard to believe that he would just abandon you completely. I also know he’s not dead.”

Shania chuckled and dropped her head to her chest, she felt so weak. “I don’t know what you’re thinking of, but I have not heard from him, or seen him in years.”

Jenifer placed the pole on Shania’s chest. The pain began again. The screams echoed the space and Shania was sure this would kill her.

“I can prove it!” Shania screamed through the pain and slumped down once it had passed. “I can prove it,” she whimpered through her gasps.

“Then prove it,” Jenifer rose and Shania breathed a sigh of relief.

“Check my emails, it’s all in there.” Shania was defeated. She couldn’t go through all this again. No more. She couldn’t take anymore.

“Email account and password,” the man at the computer spoke up and Shania gave him what he wanted.

There was silence other than the typing of the keyboard. He was in and Jenifer was searching and reading everything, Shania felt herself blush at she remembered what she had sent to Daniel over the last 3 years.

“It appears she is telling the truth,” the man at the computer concluded and Shania felt relief flood through her, maybe they’ll let her go now. Maybe they’ll stop hurting her.

“It appears so.” Jenifer agreed and Shania finally was able to think and she couldn’t help but laugh at the whole situation.

The slap to her face was unexpected and made her cry out suddenly.

“What is so funny?” Jenifer commanded.

“If your men had just waited a few more minutes, they would have had DJ.” Shania leaned her head back and stared at the ceiling.

“If he had left you behind for so long, why would you agree to meet him?” Computer Guy asked.

Shania laughed again but didn’t move from staring at the ceiling, “so I could kick the shit out of him if it was even him that had emailed me.”

The fire came again, her muscles burned and she screamed until it was too much to take. She welcomed the darkness that came for her, numbing the pain.

-0-

Jenifer threw the pole to the ground and placed her hands on her hips. She was beyond angry. She needed Doctor Jackson to translate the tablet she had found.

“We could use this to our advantage,” her main man spoke up, finally moving away from the computer and headed off towards their supplies. Jenifer just watched and waited, there was a reason he was her number one man. When he returned, a smile replaced her scowl as she saw what he held in his hand. A camera, viable to upload video footage to a computer for storage.

“I like how your mind works Adam.” Jenifer reached for him and placed a gentle kiss to his cheek, “set it up and let me know when she’s awake. We’ll make sure Doctor Jackson will come to us.

-0-

“Hey! Daniel,” Jack clicked his fingers in front of his face. 

“What?” He replied, blinking a few times to clear his head.

“I lost you for a moment there,” Jack replied, looking slightly concerned. It always amused Daniel that he and Jack have built some working friendship between them, after all, they were so different from each other and disagreed on almost everything.

“I’m fine, just thinking.” Daniel removed his glasses and rubbed at his eyes.

“The meeting didn’t go well?”

“What?” Daniel glared at Jack for a second and sighed in defeat. “No, she didn’t turn up.”

“Maybe she didn’t think it was you?” Jack shrugged and nudged at Daniel’s shoulder.

“Possibly.” Daniel returned to his computer, staring at the blank email he was trying to format. “I have written a thousand words, and yet nothing seemed right.”

“This Shania lass, if she had meant so much to you as you have said, why didn’t you reach out to her earlier?” Jack leaned against Daniel’s desk and folded his arms.

Daniel felt worse than he did when he lost Sha’re, “you know why Jack. I had to make sure that contacting her would not put her in any kind of danger.”

“you didn’t even try to reach out to her when you were … you know …” Jack waved his hand in the air and Daniel just nodded.

“I did a couple of times, but there were rules Jack. As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t reach out to her.” His computer pinged; he had an incoming email. From Shania. His heart raced as he moved to open it. There was no subject, no words, just a video attachment. He opened it against his better judgement and allowed it to play.

_“Hello doctor Jackson”_ The voice from the video rang out in the room and Daniel frowned. He remembered this woman, someone who was a little too close to Shania’s boyfriend back in the day. _“I have someone who wants to say hello,”_ Jenifer stepped back away from the screen and Daniel’s heart jumped into his throat and his stomach dropped to the floor. On his screen was his best friend, bound to a chair and looking defeated and too pale.

“Jack …” Daniel got Jack’s attention and they both watched the video.

_Shania slowly lifted her head to stare at the camera and glared, “I have no idea what you’re thinking, but Daniel’s dead. You’re wasting your time.”_ Then her screams filled his office as a man to her left had placed a firestick to her back. Daniel watched as her body convulsed and he flinched in sympathy.

_“Now, now Shania. I have told you. He is very much alive, you must believe that otherwise you would not have arranged to meet him. what was it you said? You only agreed to so you could see for yourself that he abandoned you, that he left you behind and you wanted to kick the living shit out of him?” Shania groaned in agony as the pain left her._

What happened next made Daniel’s skin crawl and he almost lost his lunch.

_Jenifer walked up to Shania and moved so that she was behind her but facing the camera. Her smile was wicked as she held a blade to Shania’s throat, digging the tip in slightly but enough to draw blood. Shania screamed in pure agony. “This blade was made with the same function and material as our fire sticks my dear, as the blade cuts the skin, the pain enters the blood stream, making it encompass the entire body in seconds.” She moved the blade down the throat slowly, causing the skin to split. It appeared that she was careful to miss any major veins are arteries._

_Jenifer faced the screen, “Doctor Jackson, you will come to us and you will come alone. We will email you the location. If there is any indication on anyone with you, she dies.” With that, Jenifer plunged the blade into the top of Shania’s shoulder, causing the woman to scream until she passed out again. The screen went black._

There was silence. Daniel felt sick.

“Don’t even …” Jack didn’t finish and Daniel was reading a second email, taking note of the location and left his office before he could be stopped. He needed to get to her and he didn’t care about the consequences that may follow. He was not losing anyone else he cared about. Not again. He wuld never live through that loss.


	3. Chapter 3

Jack rushed after Daniel, trying to stop him before he made another stupid mistake. He had hit the emergency lock down button of the base as he went, trying to keep Daniel inside.

“Daniel!” he yelled after him, managing to corner him at the elevator.

“Jack, just let me go, I have to go.”

“No, just stop and think for a second.” Jack edged a little closer, just as the elevator doors opened.

“I’m sorry Jack.” Daniel had stepped back into the elevator and the doors closed before Jack could get there.

“Dammit Daniel!” HE hissed and made his way to General Hammond’s office.

“What’s going on?” Hammond asked when Jack arrived.

“A lot,” Jack sighed, “briefing room, I’ll get the rest of SG1 sir.” And with that Jack was gone again. He really needed to put a bell on Daniel at some point, maybe even a tracker chip. That man is always running off somewhere, getting himself into all kinds of trouble, even dying and returning wasn’t enough to knock some sense into him.

It had taken a while but he had managed to get Carter and Teal’c into the briefing room, along with General Hammond.

“Daniel’s in trouble.” Jack started without waiting a beat. “Shania has been kidnapped and they sent Daniel a location and he went off. I tried to close the base, but he’s fast when he wants to be.”

“Shania? Isn’t she one of the first people Daniel remembered when he returned?” Carter asked, her face showing her concern for their friend.

“Indeed,” was all Teal’c said, but Jack didn’t really expect anything different.

“She’s also one of the richest women alive.” Jack finished and folded his arms against the table, he looked towards Hammond with an expectant gaze, “requesting permission to go after the son-of-a-bitch, sir.”

“Jack, we don’t really know the danger of the situation, what these people want with Daniel, and where they are,” Hammond replied with his usual exasperation.

“Daniel didn’t delete the emails before he ran off. They’re still on his computer, along with the video.”

“What video?” Carter chimed in, Jack could already see something of a plan forming in her mind. She was fast like that, and smart too. It was a couple of the many reasons why he …. _‘no, best not go there now Jack.’_ The voice of reason chimed in, and yet he smiled to Carter.

“Yes, a video, very short but the main point of it is that Shania is being tortured with one of those Fire Stick things, and apparently a blade made of the same stuff. Didn’t look to pretty.” Jack shuddered; he can still remember the pain one of those sticks can inflict. “I don’t know how long she has been held for, and why they want Daniel, but he’s running into a trap and we need to back him up.”

“I understand that Jack, but still. We do not know enough to allow me to approve this. It is, after all, a civilian matter.” Hammond again replied and Jack was getting edgy. He rose from his chair and glared at his commanding officer.

“This is Daniel we’re talking about sir,” jack demanded and Hammond just raised a brow at the insubordination that was showing.

“Yes, it is, but you have to give me something more to go on Jack.”

“If they are using Goa’uld technology, shouldn’t our priority be to understand where they have gained this technology and how they understand the use of it?” Teal’c added.

“Exactly!” Jack straightened once more, “T has a point General. We can’t just let civilians mess around with this stuff.”

Hammond sighed and rubbed a hand over his bald head, “show me the video and I will see about authorising the mission.”

Jack was gone the second Hammond finished, leaving behind the shocked faces of his team mates. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs and waited. When no one was following him, he climbed the stairs once more and raised an eyebrow at his team, “the emails are on Daniel’s computer.” When no one moved Jack huffed a sigh, “in his office.” Again no one made a move to follow, “it’s not a damn mobile computer!” He raised his voice, his anger getting the best of him, who know what Daniel was getting himself into.

Eventually, the others rose from their seats and followed Jack to Daniel’s office. He nudged at Carter when they entered. They all know Jack is not a computer guy, so it was quite pleasing when Carter understood what he needed her to do without actually speaking a word.

He watched the reaction of the others as the screams filled the room once again, his stomach churning with sympathy at what that young woman must be going through.

“I doubt the location is where they’re actually holding her.” Carter spoke once the video had stopped playing, even she had paled slightly at the footage. “I’m assuming it’ll be a meeting point and once they see Daniel is alone, they’d take him to where she’s being held.”

“Do any of you recognise the female?” Teal’c asked, raising one brow as he watched the others shake their heads.

“I guess we could scope out this location first and see if we can come up with anything.” Carter shrugged.

All three remaining members of SG1 looked towards General Hammond, all waiting expectantly for permission.

Hammond appeared to be pondering his decision, “you have a go team. But civilian clothing is a must. We cannot bring any attention to the SGC.”

“Understood,” Jack was the first one out the door, confident that the rest of his team would follow.

-0-

Daniel turned up at the meeting point and waited. He was agitated and angry. What have they done to her? Why her? Did Jennifer really understand how close Shania was to him? How important?

It felt like forever before he finally heard his name, “Doctor Jackson.” He turned towards the voice and his anger almost erupted as he recognised the man from the video, “please come with me.”

Daniel didn’t respond, he only did as he was told. He followed the man into a waiting black cab. Before he could do anything else, he felt the effects of a Zat gun hitting him square in the chest and he slumped back in the seat as the pain caused him to pass out.

When he finally awoke, he was lying against a concrete floor of what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse. Red heals were the first thing he could see as his vision cleared and he groaned as he pushed himself into a sitting position, “was that really necessary?” He asked, rubbing at the back of his neck to try and release some kinks.

“Yes,” Daniel turned to face the female.

“Where’s Shania?”

“All in good time Doctor Jackson. All in good time.” Jenifer moved towards a desk and Daniel watched her closely. He ignored the men surrounding him and his eyes focused on a stone tablet that Jennifer had picked up. She was turning it in her hands and then handed it over to him. “Can you understand the writing on this?” She asked with a smile to large for her tone.

Daniel took the tablet and noticed the Goa’uld symbols straight away, but he just shrugged and made to pass it back, “should I?”

Jenifer snatched it from his hand and brought the other one down across his face. It stung! Her nails were sharp and had cut into his skin. He hissed as he slumped down with the force, his body wasn’t ready for it so he couldn’t tense up against it. “Such a shame.” Jenifer tutted and turned to whisper something to the man beside her.

“Get him up,” she spoke to the others as she walked back to the desk. He felt strong arms pull him to standing position, and was then forced into one of the two chairs by the desk, the tablet now facing him. No one spoke, no one moved. Everything was silent.

That was when Daniel heard her, the pain she must have been feeling was evident in her voice. “Get your sticking paws off me you prick!” Shania was struggling against her captor, but as soon as their eyes met, she stumbled, almost falling, but the big prick held her tightly as she was forced into the chair beside him. she was bruised, pale and the cuts from before were red and vivid. Although they seemed to be healing rather quickly. Too quickly.

“Shania?” He whispered, trying to lean in close to her but she flinched so he stopped.

“You’re a prick too.” She muttered, glaring at him. the guilt Daniel felt was unbelievable. Maybe Jack was right. Maybe he should have reached out to her sooner.

“I’m sorry, I can explain …” Daniel tried but she just shook her head and dropped her gaze.

“I thought you were dead.” She muttered to the floor. Daniel reached out to her, placing a hand under her chin and slowly guided her face up so he could see her. The tears were unexpected.

“Shania, I’ll explain everything once …” her body jerked and the moan of pain escaped her mouth.

“Reunion is over.” Jenifer snapped. Daniel then noticed the object on Shania’s wrist. He has only ever seen that once before, but he knew what it can do. “Maybe now you will tell me what I need to know.” Jenifer placed a blade at Shania’s throat again, “I know enough about you Doctor Jackson to know that you are the best of the best. I know about the Stargate Programme and what you have been doing recently. So, I know you can translate that tablet. If you do not, I will end her life right here, right now.” He watched as the blade cut into the skin, but not too deep. However, the whimper from Shania was enough to show that the pain could be felt.

“Alright!” Daniel tried to reach out for Shania, but Jennifer was quicker. The blade had left Shania’s neck and found its place into Daniels hand. The pain was so intense that he couldn’t stop the yell that escaped his lips. Now he knew only slightly of the pain Shania must have been put through.

Once the pain had subsided and he could focus, Daniel turned his attention to the tablet before him. His eyes scanned the writing, but it wasn’t really making much sense to him. His eyes furrowed and he huffed, “it doesn’t make any sense.” He muttered out loud.

He was expected some more pain, either for him or Shania, what he was not expected was Shania to reach out and turn the tablet around, “it’s upside down.” She muttered, her voice shaking. She sounded like she had already given up.

The silence swallowed them whole, all eyes where now on Shania and Daniel felt dread fill his entire being. “How …?”

Shania screamed in pure agony that broke his heart as the blade was plunged into her shoulder once again and Daniel couldn’t help but react.

He jumped from his chair and tried to read Jenifer, to do something, anything to get Shania out of this mess, but he was not fast enough. The darkness swallowed him before the pain reached him.


	4. Chapter 4

Sam always felt comfortable in her civilian clothing, it helped to relax after the confusing, and pretty deadly, daily goings on with the SGC. Everyday there was something different, whether it be off world or her own backyard, there was always something. It kept her on her toes and kept her mind sharp and she was able to be the best she can be. Despite being a woman working in a male occupied occupation. She knew she was the best at what she does, despite the longing glances she has noticed from the male population within the walls of the SGC.

Sam would never call them out on it. If she did, no doubt Jack would feel it his responsibility to come to her rescue and fire every male that even tried to make her uncomfortable. She hated that, and yet loved that, about him.

As she readied herself in the black jeep, her mind continued to wonder, pulling her inwards and away from the situation she was facing in the real world. There were universes where she was either married to Jack, engaged to him, or just having a relationship with him. She’d seen it, a couple of times and she couldn’t help but wonder where they would be if she wasn’t actually in the air force. She allowed her mind to play the role of a happy family, two little Jacks running around, BBQ every morning for breakfast and beer to wash it down with.

“Carter!?” Jack’s sharp tone brought her crashing back to Earth, her heart breaking just a little knowing that it could never be, not in this reality anyway.

“Sorry Sir,” she muttered, feeling her cheeks flush a little.

“As I was saying, it looked like Daniel went to this meet up just opposite Langley’s All Nighter. I made a call to a guy who owes me a favour and he mentioned that the street gets pretty crazy in the morning rush hour. Someone must have seen something,” Jack explained and Sam just sighed and shook her head.

“If it does get crazy, it is possible that no one saw anything in the rush, Daniel would’ve just been another person going about their business.” Sam felt the jeep come to a stop and she exited the vehicle, just outside the night club. She turned her attention to the street opposite and walked over, she had to see if there was anything showing or even hinting where Daniel had gone. The others had followed her lead and hung back slightly, they were making the notion of looking around, but Sam knew they were giving her time to think of something. Sometimes it did annoy her that as soon as there was a problem and a plan or idea needed to be devised, they would all turn to look at her.

Sam looked back across the road at the nightclub, it was the only building across the street, it was huge and was even bigger on the inside. Sam enjoyed that club, it was a perfect get away and even had some quiet rooms for those just wanting to relax with a nice quiet drink without being harassed by loud music, or terrible karaoke. Then it hit her. CCTV cameras, a place that big and that popular must have CCTV cameras.

“We need to check out the club.” Sam called to her team and they both, Jack and Teal’c, looked at her like she was crazy. Well, Jack did, Teal’c just raised his brow in his Jaffer fashion. She sighed and folded her arms across her chest. “They will have CCTV; they may have captured something. Plus, it is Shania’s sister’s club. She may know something about the woman who has them both.”

With that, Sam led the way again, but this time to the night club, hopefully they may get some answers.

-0-

“We would like to see the owner.” Jack requested when they got inside and found themselves blocked by security. The guy was huge, there was no way they can just barge past this guy, not even with Teal’c on their side. It looked like this guy would be matched quite evenly with Teal’c. Sam couldn’t help but give the guy a once over, he was attractive. Strong no doubt about it.

“Why?” his voice was deep and Sam was instantly turned off. He was attractive yes, but she couldn’t be doing with the deep undertones, it was a weird thing for her. Possible why Jack’s voice always managed to sooth her.

“It’s a matter of National Security Mr, Er …” Jack made a show of looking for the guy’s name badge and Sam had to hide a smirk behind her hand, covering it with a cough.

“My name is of no importance, we’re closed. If you want to see the owner, you’ll have to come back when we’re open.” The security guard didn’t budge and still had his arms folded, although he did push out his chest a bit more when Teal’c stepped forward.

“Sir, if you don’t mind, I am just getting my identification,” Sam jumped in, hoping to calm the situation that was suddenly getting very tense and the testosterone battle was giving her a headache. She passed her ID over to the guard and waited.

“My answer will still be the same Major Carter.” He handed back her card and she just smiled calmly.

“I understand your position, but this is a matter of National Security. There may be lives at stake and your owner could help us to prevent that.” Same thought that some form of the truth may soften the issue, but the guy was not moving.

Jack sighed; Sam could tell he was getting annoyed just by that sigh alone. “Look, Mr Security Guard. My friend has done something completely insane, and your CCTV cameras may be able to help us find the stupid son-of-a-bitch and save his life, and also, possibly, the life of the owner’s sister.” His voice had gone sharp and agitated, but it worked.

The guard softened his posture and stepped away, giving then the motion to follow him. It surprised Sam at how quickly the guy moved.

“Lesley,” he called out when they reached the bar.

The woman behind the bar was cleaning the bottles on the stands behind the bar, the mirrored wall glistening from the full lights that filled the room. Lesley, as the security guard had called her, was a short woman with her brown hair tied in a high ponytail, and it was still resting against the middle of her back.

“Double D,” she replied with a smile and moved away from her position at the bar to come and meet him. Her arms wrapped around him and she placed a gentle kiss to his cheek. It shocked Sam a little and she glanced quickly at her team mates, which were both trying to look at anywhere but the display of affection before them. “Who are our guests, you know we’re closed, right?” Lesley directed the question to the trio and Sam stepped forward.

“We need your help. Do you have CCTV coverage of the front street?” Same asked as she passed over her ID card; the idea of going through the whole National Security speech for a second time annoyed her.

“Yes, but why does the Air Force need that?” Lesley passed the card back and Sam softened her own posture.

“Your sister is missing, and someone had contacted a friend of ours about her. He instantly went to find her, and hasn’t been seen since. It is known to us that he was picked up just across the street during the morning rush hour and no one, so far, has seen anything. If you have managed to pick up anything on the CCTV, it could help us identify those behind this, and hopefully we can get enough intel to bring them both home.”

Lesley had paled slightly at the mention of her sister being in trouble, but she stepped away from her partner, “this way.” She made the way through the ‘Staff Only’ door and headed towards what Sam assumed to be her office.

 _Holy Hannah, this place is huge!_ Sam kept that thought to herself as the five of them; herself, Jack, Teal’c, Lesley and her security guard, entered the office.

Lesley was talking as she made herself busy with her computer that sat against an oak desk. Two chairs where facing the desk, whereas her own was a tall backed, soft leather chair. “Has there been any ransom demands made for my sister? Do you know who it is that has her, or why? Better yet, who is this frie …” she stopped mid-sentence as she starred at her screen. Her face changed from worry, to complete and utter disbelief and then suddenly she was angry. She turned the computer around to show the others what she had on her screen.

The CCTV image was grainy but it was clear enough to see. Lesley had zoomed in Daniel, and in the image, he was held not so gently by the arm and appeared to be directed into a nondescript cab. The license plate was not visible. “Why is there a dead man on my CCTV footage.” Lesley appeared to be angry but Sam was surprised at how calm her voice was, more so over the fact that this woman knew Daniel. Well of course she did, Daniel knew and practically grew up with her sister.

“Daniel is not dead, as you can see, he’s alive and kicking. For now, at least.” Jack moved closer to the screen; Sam assumed he was trying to get as much information as he could.

“Well, he’s been dead for almost three years to my baby sister. He disappeared when she was about to get married and believe you me, she needed him there that day. But nope, he vanished. Poof. Gone. His lecture turned into an Alien Conspiracy and he fled. No phone call. No note. Not even a damn email. My sister was a mess.” Lesley was starting to lose control, Sam stepped forward slowly, trying to console the woman, but she couldn’t get a word in. “Are these the same people that have my sister?”

“Yes, and we have reason to believe that their lives are in danger, so if you know anything about the other man in this image, it would be a great help.” Sam rested a hand against Lesley’s arms, offering her some form of comfort.

“Well, if Doctor Jackson’ life is in danger, I can assure you it won’t be from the people who have them. It’ll be Shen that ends his life. Or breaks his nose. Depends on how angry she’s feeling at the time.” Lesley moved back to the computer, turning the monitor to face her. She began typing on the keyboard with a speed Sam could only ever dream of having, and was muttering away once again.

“Shania has a necklace that she always wears. Never takes it off. She even said that she couldn’t take it off. She could never really explain why. Once, our mother tried to take it off, but the chain refused to part. As we grew up and I was experimenting with radio waves, I noticed that her necklace was giving off some form of waves. I could ever really describe what they were. But we learned that she could turn this energy on and off and with practice she got better at it. So, she knows that I can trace her if she is ever lost or taken.” Lesley took a breath and stood up straight as the search was going on.

“We have been kidnapped more times than I dare to count, either alone or together. There was always a demand for an extortionate amount of money, but we were always found before the payment could go through. Some people are just plain stupid. Every time Shen would get taken alone, she would turn on the energy emitter thing, and I would be able to track it with the system she had built. It takes a while to triangulate the position, but we’ll find her.” 

Sam was speechless. A necklace that gave of an energy field, or waves or whatever, and yet cannot be removed from the wearer? It sounded like science fiction, but what she has seen in her life, science fiction doesn’t really mean anything.

“Found her!” Lesley shouted up and wrote the location down and quickly closed the system on her computer before either of the remaining members of SG1 could see it, “now, I will give you the location on one condition.”

“You want to come with us?” Sam jumped in and looked to Jack with questioning eyes.

“Me and Double D. If these people are as dangerous as you have led me to believe, you’re gonna need all the back up you can get.”

“Fine.” Jack said without any fight or delay. “But you stay back, no heroics.”

“Deal.” Lesley grinned and passed over the location to Sam.

And they were off again, a call to the SGC had their medical team dispatched to the location with back up units just in case. You can neve be too careful these days.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shania - pronounced Sha-Nigh-A  
> Shenaya - pronounced Shen-Nay-A
> 
> \--  
> Daniel and Shania have their own language, it's basically turning their words backwords.   
> I was unsure how to put the correct meaning of what they were saying without disrupting the story. I have gone with in brackets after the speech.
> 
> Please comment and let me know how this is going and if you're enjoying this.  
> Also, point out if there's any mistakes. I'm Dyslexic so it is hard for me to notice even the simplest of mistakes. 
> 
> Thank you for reading, I hope you are enjoying this <3 Stay Safe

_The sky darkened as the grounds around her shook. The screams can be heard through the stone walls and she was terrified. She knew the only escape was through the ancient ring, and she placed all her trust in her parents who were leading the way through the stone tunnels. She was connected to this place, in body and soul, and she can feel the planet dying around her. It was killing her._

_“Shenaya, you need to hurry sweetheart,” her mother panted as she had fallen behind once again. The pain of everything was starting to build in her mind and Shenaya was struggling._

_“Mother,” she protested weakly as she stumbled again as the exit was coming. They were almost out of the Holy Cavern and they need to head towards the trees for cover._

_“My child,” her father spoke and place his arm around her to hold her up, “this necklace will give you the protection you need, we have to get you out of here, off this world. I know of a place that will protect you.” He whispered as her placed the jewel around her neck. The red stone rested against her chest and she could instantly breath and the drowning pain was gone. The stone glowed and began to heat up but it did not hurt so much._

_“But father, I cannot accept …”_

_“The Fire Stone cannot be removed unless you remove yourself willingly. We do not have time to discuss this, we must go. Now!” Her farther pushed her and her mother towards the trees._

_The sky was burning, the fire was raining down on their village. Their people crying out for help and protection from their guardian, but it was already busy trying to protect the sacred field. Shenaya remembered running through these trees as a child, full of laughter and ignorance._

_This time she was running for her life, to protect what they could of their lineage. She was 14 years old and she argued the insanity of it. They flee while their people suffer from the false Goods that sit in their pyramids and destroy their planet. The counter argument was that Shenaya herself was too important to lose. As long as she live, so shall this world, and so shall its guardian and its people._

_The twigs snapped against her skin, her mother was falling behind and stumbling, her father was moving back to help her up, when Shenaya spotted him._

_A tall, dark muscular guard blocked their path. His face was covered by the metal he wore over his head, to disguise himself from those he killed._

_“Halt!” he ordered and they did. Shenaya was terrified, the walls were closing in._

_“Please,” she begged. “I must leave. We must leave. If your false God finds us …”_

_“Enough!” he yelled and finally his face was revealed. The mark of his God stood proudly on his forehead, but this was different to the others she has seen. This was gold. “I will not stand for such language in my presence. Apophis is now your God.”_

_Shenaya’s mother stepped forward but Shenaya prevented her from getting to close, she could feel the doubt in this man. “If he is such a God, then why do you doubt him?”_

_“If he is all seeing and all wise as you proclaim, why hasn’t he ended us already? He must know the meaning our deaths would bring if he was all knowing, would he not?” Her mother chimed in._

_“Please, to protect this planet, we must get my daughter through the ancient ring. It is her only hope.” Her father asked._

_It felt like forever but the being conceded. “That way is clear,” he point and stepped aside, his staff weapon was raised. “I will ensure you are not detected.”_

_Shenaya’s mother nodded and he did so in kind. His father followed and yet she stayed for a second longer, staring at the being that had saved her family. “There will come a time where you must make the choice. To continue on the path you follow, or to choose a more righteous one. You will know when to make this choice, do not allow your doubt to dwindle. Stay strong and you will be free.”_

_Shenaya ran, following her parents. The ring was in site, its connection device was unmanned. Her mother was already inputted their destination as her father stood watch._

_They didn’t see the Jaffer hidden in the opposite tree line._

_They didn’t notice the staff weapon firing._

_They did notice the gasp of her mother._

_They did notice the crumble of her mother as she fell to the ground._

_They then noticed that they were being surrounded._

_“Go!” Her father demanded of her but she couldn’t. She was 14 years old! How could she leave. How would she survive on her own?_

_Why did these beings destroy her world, kill her people, kill her mother?_

_Her anger was rising and she connected herself with the guardian; ‘_ Destroy the intruders, leave none alive’ _she ordered the protector._

_The roar of the beast was heard across the planet, the intruders retreated when they focused up on it, and yet Shenaya did not move. Her father was screaming at her to run, but she could not move._

_The urge to flee came in an instant and she knew, somehow, that the protector of this planet was urging her to leave. The urge filled her, breaking her mind and she felt her feet run towards the water before she could stop herself._

_She will drown. She couldn’t swim._

_She was heading for the water._

_She was jumping in …_

-0-

Shania woke with a start, the sweat sticking to her body as she groaned. Everything hurt. Her shoulder felt like it was torn apart and put back together with duct tape. Her neck felt sore and her hands were shaking. She lay back down on the hard floor that has become her bed and tried to breath.

“Hey, bad dream?” The voice startled her, for she recognised it. It had been three years since she heard it, but she would never forget it.

Then everything came back all at once, it made her head swim and she instantly went dizzy. She allowed the darkness to swallow her as her mind tried to contain and manage the flood of memories.

When she came around for the second time, Daniel was by her side, his hand resting against her forehead. He looked worried. Shania frowned and slowly pushed his hand away from her face. She was weak and she could feel the infection doing damage to her body. It was too fast for her to heal properly.

“You were dead.” She whispered. She didn’t turn to face him, she couldn’t. Instead, she focused on the camera just above her. They were watching them. “dah eht emas maerd sa syawla.” _[“had the same dream as always]._ If there was audio as well as visual, then whoever was listening wouldn’t be able to grasp what they were saying.

Well, she hoped.

“Eht retaw?” _[The Water?]_ Daniel asked.

Shania blamed the infection that her body was fighting, now that her mind has settled and her memories were not wreaking havoc, her body could focus on the infection and her injuries.

“Ti si lla laer. Ti si ton maerd tub yromem. I wonk ohw I ma. I rebmemer gnihtyreve. I deen ot teg tuo fo ereh erofeb yeht llik em.” _[It is all real. It is not dream but memory. I Know who I am. I remember everything. I need to get out of here before they kill me.]_ She replied and moved to sit up slowly. “If they continue with this, I’m dead. I can’t keep doing this Daniel, it weakens me.” She switched to normal speech, talking in their own made up language was starting to drain her. She couldn’t focus too much.

“You …” Daniel started but Shania sent him a warning glare and motioned discreetly to the camera. Finally, Daniel noticed it.

When Shania was sat up right, she shifted away from Daniel and moved to the back corner. It was darker here, the camera would notice anything. She slowly raised her hand with the damn bracelet on and examined it closely, completely ignoring her guest.

“How could you tell the tablet was upside down?” Daniel had moved beside her and she jumped slightly.

“I don’t know, I just did.” She replied in a whisper to avoid the others hearing them.

As she examined the bracelet, she noticed a clasp beneath it. It was small but it appeared that it may be the thing holding it against her wrist. She could already feel some of her skin healing beneath it which would cause a problem. The skin will tear as soon as she figured out how to release ethe clasp and remove said bracelet.

“What do you need?” Daniel whispered so softly in her ear. When had he gotten so close?

Shania elbowed him in the nose, hard.

Daniel’s head snapped back and hit the concrete wall behind him, stunning him for a few seconds as his hand reached up to cup his nose. His bleeding nose. Shania smiled, feeling a little bit better, “that was for abandoning me when I really needed you.”

Daniel pinched the bridge of his nose and tilted his head back to try and slow the bleeding. “I had the opportunity of a life time.” He muttered through his hand. His nose felt blocked and congested, may she actually broke it?

“And you didn’t involve me because …?” Shania had finally managed to release the clasp, but lost a nail in the process. _‘Some sacrifices must be made._ She thought to herself as she began to work on removing the metal from her wrist without causing too much damage to herself and to avoid notice from the camera. She need all her strength if her plan was going to work. Maybe she’d tell Daniel. Maybe she won’t. She hasn’t yet decided how she feels about him.

“Because you were getting married. If I got you involved with this, you would have postponed the wedding, or not have gotten married at all.” Daniel had managed to stop the nosebleed but it stung so much that his eyes were watering. Definitely broken.

“Isn’t that what you wanted? After all, you kept saying how bad he was for me.”

“I just wanted … **Want** … you to be happy. It looked like you were happy. No matter how I felt about him, how wrong he was for you. I didn’t want to be the one to pull you away from all that.”

“It didn’t happen anyway.” Shania muttered and pulled the bracelet off her wrist. She pulled it so quickly some of the skin that had healed on it was torn off her wrist. The skin beneath the bracelet was blistered and burned. Shania was unable to keep in her yell of pain as the bracelet was removed.

“What happened?” Daniel asked but she did not get a chance to reply. There were footsteps coming towards them.

“Wait for my signal.” She whispered instead and slowly pulled herself up from the floor as two men came to their cage. She made a motion of swaying and stumbling as she tried to back away. Daniel was right there in an instant, holding her steady.

The two men came into the cage and when they were close enough, Shania kicked out, landing her foot harshly between the first guys legs. It was hard enough that he crumbled to the floor and she even felt Daniel twitch in sympathy.

Shania then lashed out at the second man, not giving him time to respond, and he too was crumbled to the floor.

“Hopefully those idiots will no longer be able to reproduce.” Shania stated and stumbled a little as she moved forward. “Get their weapons, we’re out of here.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an AU don't forget so most of the stuff that happened in the serious has already happened quite close together so ... Yeah  
> Oh and making up planet names is actually quite hard ,..
> 
> feel free to leave comments and kudos, would love to know what you guys actually think.

Daniel was impressed and surprised. This woman always did that to him. he was surprised that she still had the energy to even take down the two men, and impressed that she had managed it so quickly. Although his nose was throbbing and felt blocked up, the adrenaline was pumping enough for him to ignore it.

He didn’t ask questions, even though he had a few running around in his head; _how did she know about the tablet? How has she healed so quickly after having a blade in her shoulder, surly it must have caused some internal damage to the bone? What did she mean when she said she remembered? Who was she?_

The questions ran circles in his mind as he searched the two groaning men for the weapons and was happy enough when he noticed all they had were the Zat guns. At least they were not there to kill them completely.

“Here,” he handed her one as he stepped beside her, close enough to help steady her. He could see she was shaking and swaying. He had no idea how long it would be before she actually collapsed. Plus, her wrist was bleeding profusely after she ripped of that bracelet. He noticed the charred skin as she took the Zat with a confused look.

“I know we both enjoy these things, but I am not walking around with your damn dildo.” She hissed at him, making his brain stutter and halt completely.

“What? They’re not …” Daniel shook his head and pointed his own Zat at the camera and fired.

“Shocking.” Shania said and made to move forward. Daniel couldn’t help it, he laughed. Trust her to be the one to make jokes in such a situation.

“Shen …” He tried, getting close to her once again. They appeared to be making their way down a long corridor. No windows, no doors, just a lengthily straight walk.

Shania just shook her head, her free hand running against the wall to keep her steady.

The corridor gave way to an opening to their right, Daniel could here voices and footsteps. They were headed their way.

“One shot to stun, two shots kill, so be careful.” Daniel whispered and readied himself.

“Two shots kill, good to know,” Shania had leaned back against the wall and he noticed her legs shaking with the strain of remaining standing. He needed to get her out of there, who knows what they have done to her.

“Shania,” he turned his attention to her face but she wasn’t looking at him, she was watching the opening. He moved to rest his fingers against her cheek softly and turned her face towards him, “no killing. Just stun them and we can get out of here.”

“I doubt it.” Daniel gave her _the look_. The one he always gave her when she wanted to do something that could either get them both into trouble, or something she would regret later and he had to get her away from those ideas. It always worked. “Fine, I’m not making any promises about Jenifer. She’s instantly jumped to the top of my hit list, just so you know.”

Daniel shook his head and turned back to the opening, the footsteps where closer now and the mutterings were getting louder. It wouldn’t be long before …

Shania suddenly stepped out of their not-so-good hiding spot, putting herself in full view of whoever was coming their way.

She fired one shot.

Then fired a second shot.

The two thuds Daniel heard confirmed she had just stunned them and not killed them. He breathed a sigh of relief and rushed to her side once again.

But Shania was away. She was walking like she had a mission. He supposed she did. Daniel followed her, keeping his ears open and looking around him carefully, making sure there was no surprises waiting for them.

They had made their way to the main room, which was more of a large warehouse than a room. Daniel noticed the desk and chairs and came behind Shania as she was looking over the table. She had her hands on the tablet and was focusing on the writings. He had seen her work before during their excavations and it was always a site to see. She would zone in one the find and focus all her attention on figuring out its meaning, and then astonish them all with what she noticed.

Before he could ask her what it was, she suddenly raised it above her head and through it against the concrete floor at her feet. The tablet shattered into pieces, the notice vibrating across the large space. Daniel was frozen with shock for a few seconds.

“What …?” Daniel was dumbfounded as he stared at his friend.

“They cannot know what was on there.” Shania shrugged at him and moved away from him quickly. He noticed the cold shoulder she was trying to give him and knew there was a lot to talk about and a lot to fix. This wasn’t going to be easy. “And now they can’t. That should be the only one of its kind, they’ll never find another.”

“So, I guess I’ll have to get the information out of you then,” Jenifer had turned up.

During Daniel’s surprise at Shania’s actions, he didn’t hear, nor see, Jenifer come up behind them.

He turned to face her and she was holding a pistol, rather than a Zat gun. That thing could definitely do some damage if she fired. The way she held it told Daniel that she had done this many times before and that was never a good sign. He moved so he could block the path of the gun from Shania. She had already been through so much and he could tell her body would not be able to take any more abuse.

“Go to Hell Jenifer.” Shania hissed and she moved away from Daniel, but he noticed that she made sure Jenifer was focused on her. She was giving him the space to run, to get out. _‘Idiot.’_ He whispered, like he would ever leave her for a second time.

“Aww,” Jenifer tutted and stepped closer. “Still a little sour there sweetheart?”

“Don’t call me that.” Shania raised her hand holding the Zat and fired a shot. Jenifer hit the ground with a soft groan. Daniel noticed that Shania had not lowered her aim.

“Shania?” He stepped towards her, his hand resting against her arm, avoiding the charred skin of her wrist. “She’s down, we can get out of here now.”

“She was going to kill me you know.”

“She wouldn’t have, she needed you and me. As horrible as it sounds, even she knows that.” Daniel placed a little more pressure to get her to lower the Zat but her arm wouldn’t budge.

“Not this time Daniel. Before.” Shania’s voice shook, suddenly sounding very close to tears. “On my wedding day no less. There I was, all dressed in white, silently cursing my best friend for not being there, and wondering the halls of the church. I noticed an open door and headed towards it. I shouldn’t have. I saw them both, locked in each other’s arms, kissing like they were drowning. It broke my heart so much more than my best friend. Then I heard them.” The tears were flowing thick and fast and Daniel was able to lower her arm while she was distracted. “It was his idea to marry me. They were going to kill me in the night, make it look like natural causes so that Jason could get my money and they would run away together. You see, they thought that I didn’t have a living will.” Shania scoffed at that and came back to focus.

Daniel rested a hand against her cheek, using his thumb to wipe away the tears, “I am so sorry Shen. I promise I’ll make it up to you. I’ll tell you everything that I can, but we need to leave before they wake up. I’ll take you …”

The doors blasted open making them both jump. Daniel instantly turned his Zat gun to the oncoming intruders. He was ready to fire when he heard Jack’s voice.

“Alright you lot, we have you …” Jack stopped as he noticed Daniel and Shania where standing in the middle of the warehouse, alone. Well, not alone. There was a female lying on the floor, unconscious. “Ah …”

“Better late than never.” Daniel smiled and lowered his arm, he was still standing close to Shania, he had a feeling she would drop as soon as her body relaxed enough now that they were somewhat out of the woods.

“Indeed.” Teal’c’s voice echoed around the large space and Daniel suddenly felt Shania tense up again.

She moved quickly and aimed her Zat at Teal’c.

“Shen!” Daniel placed his hand back on her arm, “it’s ok. They’re here to …”

“Shut up Daniel, or I’ll do more than break your damn nose!” Shania spoke harshly. She managed to shrug him off with such force that it made him stumble. He saw Jack and Sam aim their weapons at her.

He tried to get their attention, “don’t shoot.” He held up a hand as a surrender and tried to get close to Shania again, but she was already stepping close to Teal’c, her weapon still raised towards him.

“Do you remember me?” She asked with an authority that he had never heard before.

“No. I do not.” Teal’c answered as calm as ever. Daniel made a slow step to Shania, he needed to defuse this situation quickly.

“I was 14 years old. The village upon Drenamere. Ring a bell?” Daniel stopped short, again this woman had left him dumfounded. He knew that word. It was a planet, so far away. A planet that was said to be the birth place of the Goa’uld language. But the people of that planet had rebelled, the protector was said to be a beast that terrified the Goa’uld into leaving and never returning. How did she know if such a place?

“For thousands of years my ancestors were enslaved by the false God Thoth, supposedly the god of writing and wisdom, and yet he stole my ancestor’s speech. They rebelled, creating the protector of our world and he ran away like a scared little child and for a thousand more years my people were safe and the protector slept.” Shania had stepped even closer but Daniel couldn’t move to stop her. He was listening, his mind running a thousand miles per second.

“Do you remember me now? A 14-year-old child running from the fire that fell from the heavens, another false God trying to proclaim his leadership and ruling over _my people!_ ” she was yelling now and was within an arm’s reach of Teal’c and yet he still did not move to protect himself. Daniel saw the recognition in the Jaffer’s eyes.

“I felt my world burn. I could feel the pain and the suffering of my people, the jewel protected me, but only by so much. You. You led the attack. You sentenced many of my people to death in the name of a false God. Do you remember me now?”

“Shenaya.” Teal’c answered and he bowed his head in respect, “I have done many things that deserve punishment, but before you inflict your own upon me, let me tell you that Apophis is dead. I will also tell you that the battle that day upon your world and your people was one of the most embarrassing defeats he had ever encountered. It was the moment the seed of doubt bloomed in my mind, for that I have nothing but the upmost respect for you.”

“My people?” Daniel watched as Shania lowered her weapon and he finally found the ability to move his legs. She was not going to last much longer.

“Many survived. Many are still alive to this day. No Jaffer or Goa’uld had tried to attack your people after hearing the defeat of Apophis.”

Daniel made it just in time to catch her as her body gave up on her. She collapsed into Daniel’s arms, the Zat dropping from her lose hand.

“Shen!?” A woman’s voice cried out and he would never forget that one either.

“She’ll be ok, she’s breathing.” Daniel tried to console Lesley, the older sibling, the look she gave him made him flinch.

“You’re lucky she only broke your nose.” Lesley knelt down beside her sister and moved a bit of hair from her face. “My sister believes she is an alien. What kind of crap have they done to her?”

Daniel did not reply, he just looked at his best friend in his arms. He wondered how much pleading he would have to do to ensure she goes to the SGC for medical care rather than the hospital. If what she said was true and she really is from another planet, they cannot risk it being leaked to the general public by way of medical staff. That was something he was sure they would all like to avoid, so he ay not have to do too much begging and pleading. Well, maybe he would have to do a little.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for Kudos! <3 
> 
> Hope you guys are enjoying this as much as I am :)

_She was ten years old, playing along the tree line with the protector. They had such a strong bond, unbreakable some called it. When Shenaya was born, the protector broke free of her egg, symbolic in and of itself. An egg had not hatched upon their fair planet for almost 500 years. Some saw this as a bad omen, that something will come to destroy them, but others saw this as a great sign. The birth of the High Priest’s daughter was celebrated across the small village and the protector came to rest at her cradle, ensuring to be small enough not to be threatening._

_Since then, they played and ran together, sometimes Shenaya even rode on the back of her protector._

_“I do not wish to keep calling you Protector. You must have a name?” she asked that day as they placed, keeping out of site of the ancient ring. Shenaya knew she was not allowed too close. Her father had always said he wanted to keep her safe, but he never really explained why._

_“I do not know.” Protector answered and curled into a small ball, her tail wrapping around her underbelly and her wings flack against her back, the sun making her scales sparkle like the great rings that encompassed their planet sparkled at night._

_“May I call you Faith?” Shenaya suddenly asked, her head tilted to the sigh as she rested against the grass. “It suits you as most of us have faith in your protection of us all, not just of me.”_

_The Protector smiled, if that’s what you could call it. Her lips stretched back, her sharpened teeth peeking out just a little, “Then that shall be my name Little One.”_

_“You must call me by my name if I call you by your own.” Shenaya nodded once, settling it as their internal law. She may be ten years of age, but she was still as stubborn as her mother._

_“Of course, I shall, Shenaya.” Faith tested the words and a low purr came from her throat._

_Their bond strengthened that day._

_Before they could play any further, the ancient ring began to glow. Shenaya stepped closer to the tree line, keeping low to remain hidden “New visitors.” She spoke in an excited whisper. “We have not had any new visitors in a few years.”_

_“How do you know these are new, and not one of our neighbours?” Faith asked, slowly taking a protective stance around her friend and charge._

_“It’s not yet harvest or trading season. Our neighbours do not come early unless invited, and I do not remember mother or father mentioning anything.” Shenaya just shrugged and watched._

_Three people stepped through the shimmering water, they appeared to look as they did, although they were dressed funny. “They dress the same.” Shenaya laughed into her hand._

_“Best tell your parents, child.” Faith lowered her head and Shenaya climbed onto her back. She held on around her neck as they took flight._

_It was the quickest way back to her home, the stone castle built upon the hill as their village was built within its shadow. It was one way to keep an eye on everything at once. They did have the protection of the stone wall that circled the whole valley, the new visitors must gain entrance at their gate, there was no other way around it._

_Faith landed in the court yard and bowed her head to allow Shenaya to climb down and she curled up against the floor and waited. She knew the rules the ancestors placed upon her kind. She can not leave her charge unless she had been asked to by either the High Priest, High Priestess or Shenaya herself._

_Shenaya ran through the courtyard and entered her home with a loud crash, “Father! Mother!” She ran as fast as her little legs could carry her, “we have visitors!” She yelled until they came to great her._

_“Shenaya, you have not been playing by the ancient ring, again have you?” Her father asked sternly and she lowered her head._

_“Now, now, Alf. Give the girl some freedom.” Her mother placed a hand on his arm, and Shenaya smiled wide. “Now my child, were you seen?”_

_Shenaya shook her head, “Faith brought me straight home.”_

_“Faith?” Her father asked, his worry etched on his face._

_“Yes, The Protector. She needed a name; Faith suits her Father.” Shenaya just shrugged._

_“By the Ancestors.” Her farther gasped, his eyes wide, “what a glorious day.”_

_Shenaya tilted her head, the confusion was apparent and her mother just laughed, “we will let you know when you are old enough. Now go and change, we must prepare for our guests.”_

_‘_ Watch the skies Faith,’ _Shenaya spoke mentally to her friend, there was something she didn’t want to say to anyone, not even to Faith. She felt strange and it scared her, but she was well adapted at hiding it._

_The meal was set and ready when the guests appeared in the large dining hall, her mother and father were sat at the head of the table, with Shenaya to their right and a few of the villages were sat to the left, with the guests at the end of the table. It was quiet and Shanaya’s feeling grew slowly. She didn’t look at the guests, just stared at her plate, her mind wondering in on itself. She didn’t hear the conversation going on around her, but it appeared they were talking about trading._

_Now Shenaya knew that her people had a few things that these guests were offering. Interstellar travel, gate addresses, farming equipment. The interstellar travel was a well-guarded secrete among her kind, and only those they have build a lasting trade with even knows about it as they share their accomplishments and breakthroughs together._

_Shenaya was not focusing on cutting her meat, so it was a shock when the knife sliced into the skin of her hand, causing her to call out in pain._

_“Shenaya!” her mother’s worried voice pulled her from her daydreams and she looked up with tears in her eyes._

_“It’s ok Mother, I’ll go get cleaned up. I am sorry.” Shenaya climbed from the table and rushed from the room with her mother following her._

_“Shenaya, what is wrong child?” Her mother asked when she finally caught up with her and took the injured hand. It was already healing and the blood flow had slowed._

_“I’m sorry.” Shenaya was close to tears._

_“Tell me.” Her mother’s tone changed and Shenaya knew she was in trouble._

_“They look the same. I don’t like it.” Shenaya looked at the floor and kicked some lose stones, “they make me feel funny.”_

_Then her mother laughed, and guided her back to the dining hall._

_“How is she?” One of the guests asked and Shenaya hid herself behind her mother._

_“She is fine, hardly a cut.”_

_“But there was a lot of blood.” Another said, and Shenaya sneaked a peak and saw as the three shared a look between them._

_It didn’t make her feel any better._

_-0-_

_Shenaya was woken by too many hands reaching for her._

_Before she could even scream, a hand was against her mouth. It tasted fowl._

_She blacked out shortly after, not even having time to call on her friend._

_Next, when she woke, she was lying on a bed, but not her own. It felt like one of the ones from the Inn in the village._

_Voices whispered around her, and she couldn’t make out any of the words._

_She felt wrong._

_She felt tired._

_She felt her blood flowing freely from her wrists._

_She was ten years old and they were draining her._

‘Faith. Help me.’

_Was all she managed as the darkness closed in once again._

-0-

Shania woke with a start, sitting bolt upright, her heart hammering in chest and the sweat sticking to her skin. She didn’t recognise the bed beneath her or the room she had found herself in. she heard the constant beeping surrounding her and she panicked. Had they found her again? Were they back again?

“It’s ok, your safe.” A female voice called out to her but she didn’t recognise it. It didn’t make her feel any better.

She pulled at the cables holding her, ripping off the sticky patches. It didn’t register for her that these were heart monitors. All she knew is that she had to get out of here, wherever here was.

Once she was free of the cables, she pushed past the woman blocking her way and ran for the only door she could see. She turned left and continued to run.

She didn’t register the unground corridors. She heard the alarm blaring, she heard the footsteps approaching her from behind, someone was calling out to her but she continued to run.

Right into the arms of her dead best friend. “Hey.” His voice washed over her and she managed to stop hitting his chest and she stopped trying to escape, but her breathing didn’t slow down.

“Daniel?” She gasped and looked around her, “were the hell am I!?” She began to panic again as memories crashed down on her again. “Jenifer?”

“You’re safe here.” He wrapped his arms around her and she sunk into his chest. Her body was weak from the panic as the adrenaline had worn off. “I promise. I won’t let anyone hurt you, not here.”

“Easy for you to say, you’ve been dead for three years. I even had a memorial for you.” She muttered into his chest and she felt her legs start to weaken, “Daniel? You may want to hold on.” She muttered and she passed out for the second time that day, letting the darkness wash over her once again. She begged the memories to remain at bay, just before she lost all conscious thought, she tried to reach out to Faith, hoping that there was still something left of her old life.

 _‘Help us Little One.’_ Was all she heard before she passed into the darkness, the feeling of Daniel’s arms around her soothed her into unconsciousness.


End file.
